Hibiscus plant named ‘Creme Brulee’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of winter hardy  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Crème Brulee’ is the result of a unique hybridization. This new and distinct cultivar is characterized primarily as to its novelty by its extreme cold hardiness to Zone 4, medium thick-textured, luminescent butter yellow flowers and its “Maple-shaped” foliage with a dark-purple coloration, compactness of approximately 2½-3 feet, its vigorous and uniform breaking habit and its floriferous nature from midsummer until frost.

Latin name: Hibiscus moscheutos×H.coccineus.

Varietal denomination: ‘Crème Brulee’.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This plant, as a hybridized hardy Hibiscus, is valuable to the landscapemarket for its improvements in thicker textured butter yellow-coloredflowers and buds, refined “maple-like” foliage with a dark purple color,its all-around vigor, good compact overall breaking action, andadaptation to extreme environments, including the ability toconsistently survive winter temperatures of at least −30 degreesFahrenheit.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

1. The new plant of this invention is the result of a uniquehybridization, with the breeding achievement being evidenced in theoutstanding combination of characteristics exhibited by this new anddistinct Hibiscus plant, which include:

-   -   (a) Refined, 3-5 lobed “maple-shaped” leaves of a black-purple        color and relatively smooth margins which combined compliments        the landscape;    -   (b) Large flowers that are outstanding for their butter        yellow-colored, petals (on both sides);    -   (c) The plant being very floriferous with flowers that stay open        for at least one to two days;    -   (d) The plant being small to medium-sized but vigorous with        compact and uniform breaking action which gives it unique        landscape utility; and    -   (e) The plant being so hardy that it can consistently withstand        winter temperatures of at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

2. ‘Crème Brulee’ was the result of a 68-year breeding program. Itsancestry includes Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus coccineus. Morespecifically, the plant resulted from multiple crossings with anunnamed, Fleming-bred Hibiscus moscheutos (non patented) and an unnamedFleming-bred Hibiscus coccineus (non patented). The seedling which mostnearly met all of the above standards was selected.

3. This new plant first bloomed in the summer of 2008 and was selectedby Gretchen Zwetzig on her property located at 267 N Strathmore Ave.Asexual propagation of the plant by cuttings and root division inLindsay, Calif. and Lincoln, Nebr. (other nursery location) has shownthat the unique and distinguishing features of the plant are faithfullytransmitted from generation to generation and appear to be fixed.

4. Since its origin, the plant has bloomed from midsummer until frost,while exhibiting the aforementioned distinctive characteristics. Thishardy Hibiscus plant greatly contributes to the market with its,stunning beauty and utter refinement, its compact growth habit, itsenhanced resistance to disease and insects, its stability throughextremes in rain and drought, and its extreme hardiness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

5. The flower and foliage of the cultivar at 2½ years of age are shownin the attached photograph.

More specifically, FIG. 1 is a close-up of the flower and the leaf.

The colors are as true as is reasonably possible to attain inphotographic illustrations of this type. The colors illustrated may beslightly off due to light reflectance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

6. What follows is a detailed description of the new cultivar. Thespecific color descriptions are in accordance with The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (2001), while general colorrecitations are consistent with ordinary American terminology.

7. ‘Crème Brulee’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. It is to be understood that the phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in the environment such as temperature,light intensity, humidity, and day length without, however anydifference in genotype of the plant. The following botanicalcharacteristics and observations are gathered from the plant when grownin Lincoln, Nebr. (USDA Zone 4) and Lindsay, Calif. (USDA Zone 9).

THE PLANT

-   Parentage:    -   -   Seed parent.—Hibiscus moscheutos, unnamed and unpatented            Fleming-bred seedling.        -   Pollen parent.—Hibiscus coccineus, unnamed and unpatented            Fleming-bred seedling.-   Comparison between observed plant and parents: Parents were similar,    except for being approximately ½ foot taller in height than Observed    Plant.-   Comparison between observed plant and other known cultivars: The    Observed Plant is unique, but most similar to patents: Crown Jewels    U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,857 among the other patented hardy Hibiscus    from Gretchen Zwetzig, in that: (a) they are all more compact at 3    feet on average. (b) they are all hardy to −30 degrees    Fahrenheit. (c) they all have refined new leaf shapes and    colors. (d) Some have thick, creamy overlapping pale yellow flower    colors with blooms from the top to the bottom of the plant, but    ‘Crème Brulee’ flower appears more yellow than previous varieties.-   Origin: A selected seedling from stated cross.-   Type of plant: Hardy, herbaceous perennial.-   Classification: Variety of hardy Hibiscus plant.-   Propagation: Relatively easy to propagate through cuttings; holds    its distinguishing characteristics through successive cuttings and    divisions.-   Size: About 2½ to 3 feet tall and about 2½ feet wide.-   Form: Symmetrical annual growth from perennial roots.-   Habit: Upright and uniformly branched.-   Growth: Vigorous; medium and compact. Full grown (2½ to 3 ft) in 2    years. 2 ft 8 inches or 32 inches when measured.-   Hardiness: Hardy to at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.-   General health: Plant is very disease resistant against rot, aphids,    spider mites, scale, white fly etc.; sturdy through excessive    drought, rain or wind.-   Propagation: Relatively easy and fast rooting in approximately 2    weeks.-   Foliage:    -   -   1. Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   2. Shape.—Juvenile: 3-5 lobed “maple-shaped” leaves. Rounded            base shape. Mature: Refined, “maple-shaped”, 3-5 lobed leaf            with entire to mildly serrate margins and acute apices;            rounded base.        -   3. Size.—Mature leaf (petiole base to apex): Length is about            6 inches; width is about 3 inches. Young leaf: Length 2½            inches, width is 1½ inches.        -   4. Color.—Young leaves: N 77-A (Purple coloration not            completely captured by photography, but present). Mature            leaves: (upper side): Between N 77-A and N 79-A. Veins:            Venation pattern: Palmate. Venation Color: N 79-A.            Coloration of the lower leaf surface: Mature: Between 148-B            and 149-B. Young: closest to 147-B.        -   5. Surface texture.—Upper: Smooth. Lower: Semi-smooth.        -   6. Petiole length.—About 2¾ inches or 6.5 cm. Diameter:            1-2 cm. Petiole Texture: Semi-smooth.        -   7. Petiole color.—137-A and N 77-A.-   Stems: The stems are stout at the base becoming more slender toward    the apices; coloration is consistent with the petiole.-   Length: 2-3 inches. Diameter: 1-2 cm.-   Internode length: apx. 2 inches.-   Texture: Semi-smooth.

The Flower

-   Blooming period: Profuse from July until frost.-   Flower diameter: Medium to large; about 8-10 inches.-   Borne: Singly in leaf axils, from midpoint of stems upward.-   Bloom duration: Individual bloom lasts at least one to two full    days.-   Form: Campanulate; petals are also very overlapping.-   Average number of flowers per season: 300.-   Bud:    -   -   1. Length.—About 2¼ inches on day before opening. Diameter:            apx. 2 inches.        -   2. Color.—2 C.        -   3. Surface texture.—Semi-glabrous.        -   4. Duration.—One to two weeks.-   Corolla: Having five petals.    -   -   1. Petal character and dimensions.—Campanulate and very            overlapping. (a) Length: About 4-5 inches. (b) Width: About            4-5 inches.        -   2. Coloration.—Light Yellow petals: 2-D and 11-D. (a)            Coloration of lower petal surface: 11-D. (b) Upper and Lower            Venation (through veins) in petals: A little darker than            11-D. (c) Eye zone: 45-B. Size: 1½ inches.        -   3. Texture.—Smooth.        -   4. Substance.—Thick.        -   5. Shape.—Campanulate and very overlapping with petal            ruffles at edges.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   1. Staminal column.—Stamen along basal two-thirds. One per            flower. Apx. 100 stamens per flower. Stamen column average            length: About 1½ inches. Stamen color designation: 2-D.            Pollen color: 12-B.        -   2. Style.—Terminates upper one-third of staminal column.            Length ½ to 1 inch. Color: 11-A. Stigmatic lobe color: 11-A            (tips: 63-A). Stigma size: 1/16″.-   Calyx:    -   -   Shape.—5 lobed, connate at the base; about 2½ inches in            length.        -   Upper and lower color.—Medium green: 146-A.        -   Surface texture.—Semi-Smooth.-   Stipules: None.-   Seeds (fruit):    -   -   Size.—1 cm.        -   Color.—Grey-brown (RHS 166 B).        -   Average number.—Less than 100.-   Epicalyx: Whorl of bracts.    -   -   1. Shape.—10-12 slender, sword-shaped bractlets.        -   2. Length.—About 1½ inches.        -   3. Color.—144-A.-   Peduncle:    -   -   1. Length.—About 2 inches. Diameter: 1 cm.        -   2. Strength.—Stiff and sturdy.        -   3. Color.—Light to medium green with slight reddish-purple            cast. 148-A and 175 A.        -   4. Texture.—Semi-smooth.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of hardyHibiscus plant, as herein shown and described, characterized by itscompact nature, refined “maple-shaped” foliage of an extremely darkpurple coloration, its large Light yellow flowers, its vigor and itshardiness.